The 21st century has seen the rise of anxiety and depression to become some of the more prevalent health concerns across all ages. According to the World Health Organization, depression is a widespread illness faced by about 264 million people of different age groups around the world. The prevalence of the medical condition has led TRICARE, the US Defence Military Health System, to announce TMS as a basic benefit for members of the United States Military. In this article, we consider TMS treatments, benefits, and efficacy.
What Is TMS?
Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) is a treatment administered to patients with major depressive disorders. Due to the mood alternating nature of depression, patients with major forms of depression may not get better through medication and talk therapy treatments. TRICARE notes that success is only recorded with about half of the patients treated for major depressive disorders through medication and talk therapy.
Thus, it became necessary to develop a non-invasive treatment method that helps patients achieve higher levels of success in their battle against depression. TMS offers a non-intrusive method of doing this by stimulating brain neurons, particularly the dorso-lateral prefrontal cortex (Left-DLPFC), through an electromagnetic coil. Because depression affects an individual’s mood and cognitive activities, TMS works by focusing on stimulating the affected areas of the brain through the Left-DLPFC.
TMS got approved by the F.D.A in 2008 and has since been administered to patients with treatment-resistant depression. The American Psychiatrists Association has also encouraged TMS treatment for patients with major depressive disorders.
Benefits Of TMS
David Penner, a Harvard trained child and adolescent psychiatrist at OlympiaTMS, whose clinic began administering TMS in 2019, has seen 187 patients in the last year and affirms the even distribution of depressive major disorders among ages 18 to 64 with a majority of them female. One of the major benefits of TMS asides from its efficiency is that no form of anesthesia is required. It also has limited side effects which makes it tolerable for most patients.
With the newly approved FDA protocols, TMS treatment sessions have been reduced from a prior 30 minutes to between 3 and 19 minutes. Not only has this helped psychiatrists attend to more patients, but the newly approved protocols have also helped improve the efficiency of TMS treatment. TMS treatment usually features 5 weekly sessions for a duration of 5 to 6 weeks.
Learn More About TMS Therapy
The science behind TMS treatment has shown that magnetic fields can influence the functioning of the brain and improve the symptoms of various neurological and psychiatric disorders. If you or someone you know is suffering from these conditions and looking for a non-invasive and effective treatment option, then TMS treatment might be the answer. OLYMPIA CENTER FOR TMS AND PSYCHIATRY is here to provide you with the best TMS TREATMENT SERVICES that can help you overcome your struggles and live a happier life. CONTACT US TODAY to schedule a consultation and take the first step toward a better future.
An Interview with Dr David Penner of Olympia Center for TMS and Psychiatry